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mackeydoodledoo · 3 years

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You Get what you Give

Pairing: (Lifeguard)Bela Dimitrescu x (SurferFem)Reader

Summary: Months after Y/n's surf tournament, Jeane comes back with her Fiancé to hold her wedding at the beach.

Warnings: None, Fluff all the way

A/n: Thanks for joining me on this mini-series!! I didn't think I'd have an appreciation or love for surfing, despite not actually doing it ever in my life lol

"You get what you Give" - New Radicals [Play this when Jeane, Bela and Y/n strip off their wedding outfits and go surfing near the end] “Endlessly” - The Cab [Play this when Jeane gestures for Y/n to begin playing acoustic]

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You slip on your suspenders and look at yourself in the mirror, hoping Jeane would be fine if you had worn a suit instead of a dress. The color was a sea green or blue color. However, you were more masculine so you felt more comfortable in pants.

"Hmmm... Such a handsome face," Bela flirts as she comes walking over

You watch her through the reflection of the mirror as you turn around to sit on the vanity.

"You should see yourself," you smile

She smiles as her hands slowly run up your body as teasing you around your suspenders. You let out a long sigh as Bela hooks her fingers around your suspenders and tugs on them, making you lean close to her face.

“Are you trying to ruin my outfit?” You ask

“Hmmm, Maybe...” She smiles

You lean your head further forward to meet her lips. In the least several months you and Bela had slowly began trusting one another again. You had stopped surfing after losing your board during the competition however, it had you take up acoustic and ukulele. Jeane decided to have you perform a song for her first dance.

“We should get going,” You suggest, “I need to help Jeane set up.”

“She can wait for an extra couple of minutes..” Bela leaves lipstick smears on your lips

You finally persuade Bela to leave your shared home and to the beach.

“Y/n there you are!” Jeane smiles, “You’re kind of late.”

“Girlfriend got slightly horny,” You try to whisper it

“Figures,” Se slightly smiles and sighs, “But I’m so glad you two are happy again.”

You smile, not knowing what to say after then. However, you follow her to the ceremony spot. Perfect angle of the chairs facing the ocean.

“It it needs is decorations!” Jeane states, pulling out strings of artificial tropical flowers and single ones

From the common Hibiscuis, to the Birds of Paradise plant, you finish the last row of chairs that you had just decorated. You take yourself to the back of the ceremony spot, to take it all in.

“Not a bad decorating job if I do say so myself,” You smile

“Nice job Y/n!” Jean says from afar

You turn to face her and then gasp. You saw Jeane in a two piece wedding dress. Even though it was uncommon to wear, you believed that it fit the atmosphere.

“You look amazing Jeane!” You smile

You come up to her and give her a hug. She smiles at you as you straighten out your shirt.

“I got the bouquet,” She says, holding it up for you to see

It was an arrangement of blue roses, oriental lily, Caribbean fantasy dahlia and some stems to give it more depth.

“You sure did go all out for this one,” You smile

“I am a little extra for my wedding day,” Jeane brags, “Plus, we’re where met.”

You and Jeane met when Jeane was teaching surfing basics. Oddly enough you were the only student she’s had that was about the same age as her. You needed extra tutoring sessions as you were having the hardest time to learn the basics. From there, you and Jeane had grown closer and closer. To the point where you become sister figures in each others’ lives.

“Crazy how time flies,” You sigh, “I thought it was just yesterday we were beginning to get to know one another and no I’m your maid of honor and walking you down the isle.”

“Life’s crazy,” Jeane smiles

You and Jeane finish up the smaller decorations in the reception spot as guests begin to come into the parking lot.

“Hey you,” Bela smiles

“Bels!” Jeane smiles as she gives Bela a side hug, “Thanks for taking extra good care of my little sister.”

“More so She takes good care of me,” Bela winks at you

Your cheeks flush a deep red as you try to look away from the both of them. Bela lets out a triumphant giggle as she pulls you in for a quick kiss.

“Hey I gotta go hide before my fiancé's family and him get here,” Jeane says, “I’ll text you when I need you.”

You and Bela watch Jeane go off into the distance. You turn back to face Bela, who was smiling.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll catch that bouquet Jeane might throw,” Bela smiles

“You just might,” You add, believing her

You snake your arm around Bela’s waist and bring her closer to you, giving her another kiss. However, this kiss lasted slightly longer than the last.

“I love you draga mea,” Bela finally says

“I love you too kaipo,” you reply to her

You notice how many more guests had been arriving and you notice Jeane’s fiancé and his crew of his friends.

“I should check my phone,” You tell Bela

You unlock your phone and see a text message from Jeane.

“Gotta go,” You say, giving Bela a cheek kiss and walking off to where Jeane had set off to

You peek your head through the curtains and smile when Jeane looks over at you.

“You okay?” You ask, coming over to her

“I just wish they were all here,” She sighs

“They are,” You say, pointing towards her heart, “They always have been.”

When the both of you hear the music begin, you offer your arm for Jeane and she takes one bouquet in her hand and hooks her arm around yours with the other. The both of you move through the curtains as you watch everyone stand for Jeane. As the both of you were walking down the isle, flower petals were tossed into the air. Once you reach the other end of the ceremony spot, you gently let go of her arm and stand behind her.

“We are gathered here today in bonding these two in holy matrimony,” The official announces

You watch as Jeane’s fiancé gives his vows, and Jeane doing the same. You look out to the crowd and spot Bela. She smiles at you and gives you a small wave. You look at her and give her a wink and then your attention goes back onto Jeane as she finishes her vows.

“If there’s any objection to why these two shall not be wed, speak up or forever hold your piece,” The official announces

The crowd was silent... However, you internally sigh in relief since you didn’t have to fight anyone.

“I pronounce you, Husband and Wife. You may kiss the bride,” He announces

Everyone applauds as Jeane and her now husband share their first kiss as husband and wife.

Once the entire ceremony moved to the reception spot, you seated Bela where you were meant to as you were getting ready with your music skills.

“Okay now Jeane told me I had entire freedom of the first song to choose from,” You start, “However, I think this is a great song I picked out of my playlist to play for these two newly lovebirds.”

You seat yourself in a stool and adjust your acoustic as you strum the first couple of chords.

There’s a shop down the street Where they sell plastic rings For a quarter a piece I swear it Yeah I know that it’s cheap Not like gold in your dreams But I hope that you’ll still wear it

You continue playing the chords and singing into the microphone.

There’s no guarantee That will be easy It’s not a miracle you need Believe me

You look up and turn your head to look at Bela while you sing, hinting that you were singing to her.

Now, I’m no angel I’m just me But I will love you Endlessly Wings aren’t what you need You need me

You turn to watch Jeane and her now husband slowly sway to the song you were performing.

Yeah, I'm no angel, I'm just me But I will love you endlessly. Wings aren't what you need, you need me. (You need me, I know you need me You need me, I know you need me)

You close your eyes and begin feeling the music’s emotion. However, again, you look over at Bela watching you. She smiles and looks away, bashful.

Ink may stain my skin And my jeans may all be ripped. I'm not perfect, but I swear I'm perfect for you. And there's no guarantee That this will be easy. (This will be easy) It's not a miracle you need, believe me. (Won't you believe me?) Yeah, I'm no angel, I'm just me But I will love you endlessly. Wings aren't what you need, you need me. (You know you need me) (I know you need me) You need me (I know you need me) You need me (I know you need me) There's a shop down the street Where they sell plastic rings For a quarter a piece, I swear it. Yeah, I know that it's cheap Not like gold in your dreams But I hope that you'll still wear it

You gently strum the last chord and everyone begins applauding you. Bela exits her seat and walks over to you, places a couple of fingers under your chin and gives you a gentle kiss.

“Y/n, please come up here real quick,” Jeane looks at you while holding the microphone up to her mouth

You put your acoustic up on its stand and walk up to the two newlyweds.

“I know your last surfboard was made by your father but, I really appreciate the fact you gave up the competition to rescue me.”

“It-it was nothing really,” You blush from the amounts of compliments you’ve gotten since then

“However, I do feel bad you couldn’t be out in the water because your surfboard is gone,” Jeane says walking over to under the table

You gasp when you realize Jeane presents to you; a new surfboard.

“I-I don’t know what to say Jeane... I-” You stutter

“I tried making it look exactly like the one your father had made but- also adding my own kind of flair to it,” She smiles, handing you your new surfboard

“I owe you my life,” You say, still smiling from ear to ear

“Just continue living your dreams,” She smiles

All of the ladies that were attending the wedding had gathered on the dancefloor as Jeane throws the bouquet into the air. Bela doesn’t catch the bouquet. Instead, pretends to make an effort and reach for it but a glass of champagne is put to her lips. You sigh in amusement when you watched Bela lazily make an effort to catch a bouquet.

Oh Kaipo...

When the reception was continuing, it was just about to sunset when you were sitting along the shoreline to watch the sunset go down.

“Hey you, thought I’d find you here,” Jeane says, sitting next to you, “Something on your mind?”

“None that are too important,” You say, “just thinking how I almost died last time I went surfing...”

“Quite the save you did though,” Bela comes over and sits on the side side of you

“So I’m going to be retiring from surfing,” Jeane says out of the blue

“What?” You ask, looking at her in shock, “What are you going to do?”

“Settle down, make a family,” Jeane answers

“Who’s going to teach me more when you’re gone? and-”

“Y/n,” Jean calms you, “You’re already going so far with your surfing skills. Maybe you’ll be teaching my kids surfing one of these days. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to stop entirely.”

You smile while a couple of tears fall down your cheeks. Jeane stands and walks over back into the reception area but pulls out her surfboard, along with Bela running to get hers.

“Race you to the ocean you two lovebirds!” Jeane smiles

“Not if I race you first!” You smile

The both of you begin rush-stripping down to your swimsuits that were below and pick up your boards and break for the ocean, Bela slipping out of her dress, revealing her swimsuit.

You and Jeane duck dive down below the breaking wave as Bela comes right behind.

“Show off!” Bela yells at the both of you

The both of you jokingly shrug her off as the both of you continue toward the wave. Jeane rides in the wave while you were on the top part. However, you use your feet pivots, turning the board to ‘slide down’ the wave. You swerve under Bela and Jeane as you pull ahead of the both of them, facing the exact opposite; you were facing them.

“See? Told you you’re going to be a fine surfer teacher one of these days!” Jeane smiles

You jokingly scoff at her and turn back around. You crouch back down as the wave begins breaking. You reached your fingers to skid across the water. You almost freak out when you had touched something other than water; a shark swims beside you. You smile as you begin tearing up and reaching out to gently pet the shark before it swam back further out into the ocean.

Jeane, Bela and yourself finished your final surf with the both of them before Jeane would go back across the country with her husband however, you and Bela were on her surfboard out on the water while Jeane and her husband walk along the shoreline. The sun was getting low; the tides were calm.

“You know what’s odd?” Bela asks you, looking at the sunsetting on the horizon

“What?” You ask

“How you forgave me and trusted me again so easily?” She asks, “I thought it would at least be a year...”

“You know,” You start, tucking Bela’s damp hair behind her ear, “When you know you absolutely love someone... Is when you’ll forgive them for their mistakes. Even though it took me longer to trust you again, I’ve actually had a lot worse past relationship where my exes would break my trust in a snap... But, they were a long time ago... One thing that makes you stand out from the rest of them though, you decided to make things right.”

Before Bela leans in to kiss you, you fall off the surfboard suddenly.

“Y/n!” Bela says, seeing the outline of your body from the under side of the water

Before Bela jumps off of her board to rescue you, you break the surface of the water, pulling her in with you. Her screams become muffled by the water however, se doesn’t struggle when she turns to face you.

You notice how her gold-amber eyes pop, being amplified from the sunset rays but being contrasted by the blue ocean. You cup Bela’s cheek as you pull her face towards yours, kissing her. The both of you try to stay underneath the water for a little bit longer before breaking the surface to breathe.

“Don’t you freaking scare me like that,” Bela growls

“Awwww You’re cute when you’re angry,” You tease her

Bela shoves you underneath the water once more and attempts to get back on her board but you drag her down with you. However, the both of you breaking the surface again.

“You’re so mean,” Bela pouts

“Oh come on but you like it,” You try to tease her

“Shut up,” Bela says as she shuts the both of you up with a kiss

When the entire wedding had officially ended, you, Jeane, Bela and Jeane’s husband were cleaning up the beach and taking down the decorations and appliances.

“So, are you going to move back across the country after this?” You ask Jeane

“Actually, we may be moving into the city here,” Jeane smiles

“Really?” You ask, your eyes lighting up

“Don’t think I can be that far apart from home again,” Jeane states, “After the competition I’ve been dying to be back in the water. Thanks to you, I’ve found my love for surfing all over again.”

“Well, you’re welcome Jeane,” You smile

It was 3 AM by the time you and Bela returned to your place. You were in the shower to shower off the saltwater from earlier in the day. You turn to see who had entered the shower with you.

“Didn’t you say you were going to wait for me to come out?” You ask, smiling, hugging her

“Save water,” Bela yawns

You smile as the both of you waste the hot water and the remaining night away, embracing each other.

#resident evil village #cassandra dimitrescu #daniela dimitrescu #alcina dimitrescu #bela dimitrescu #female reader #lady dimitrescu #bela dimitrescu x reader #bela is my wife #house dimitrescu

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maxthommusic · 2 years

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How Gran Turismo 7 is the New 'Sims'

Gran Turismo 7 is the best sim game since The Sims.

Back in the 90s, while The Sims was a groundbreaking gaming experience because of its extraordinary AI and innovative concept, something the title got extremely right was its sense of aesthetic. Who knew buying carpets and boudoirs set to bouncy jazz and crafting houses, arranging corridors to lovely piano ballads was a transcendent experience.

The Sims featured lush greenery in its grasses, trees and parks. Houses were big, beautiful. And the town you lived in always felt safe and idyllic. It was the American Dream anyone could have (sold for only $20-$40).

Between owning a personal playground, dating anyone you wanted and having any job you could ever dream of, The Sims was a fantasy like no other. I'd lose hours planning and creating new homes. And the music was a major reason why. I never stopped loving the endorphin rush of seeing perfectly manicured lawns and soaking in the masterful achievements in architecture I somehow lived among.

Since The Sims, however, I've never really had quite the same experience. That feeling of being safe, like I'm in a world that indulges my fantasies and nothing can go wrong. Maybe Final Fantasy XV got close with its open-world gameplay encouraging transportation by car with "the boys," exploring the joys of a road trip and camping under the night sky. Cooking meals set to acoustic jazz and having conversations by firelight came close, but it didn't quite capture the same wonder. Especially when terrible enemies were usually lurking close by.

But the very special thing about Gran Truismo 7, the latest entry in the series, is that its the most "Sims-esque" game I've played since The Sims -- and that's its best feature (no, really).

Its soundtrack is the first thing that caught my attention. Jazz guitar, Bossa novas, classical pieces -- the crew was back in terms of the music stylings. Looking at fancy cars with Pachelbel in the background is a match made in heaven. And I absolutely love visiting the Grand Turismo cafe and seeing expertly brewed coffee lingering on a beautifully clean table while easy-listening jazz settles in the background. It's here that a "tour guide" will give you new quest objectives by way of a "new menu" at the cafe, encouraging you to complete certain races with specific cars.

Even better, the music changes between every single menu in the game. The OST is huge and offers a variety of eclectic stylings. I've heard critics claim its too soft and too "elevator-y," but I couldn't disagree more. Shopping for car parts officially got interesting when it was paired with jazz instead of Kid Rock. Plus, the races do feature some kind of rock/alt-rock artist. But, agreeably so, they're not too heavy, not too aggressive, and actually offer a nice contrast to the peaceful menu music.

Somehow the overworld even lives up to the promise of The Sims. Your main hub is a small town (I guess is the best way to describe it) nestled behind some mountains in a very verdant valley with a day-night cycle that gives the impression that life is happening here and every day is beautiful. Sunrise, sunset -- new businesses continually open as you progress through the game. Events unlock, characters have things to tell you at different points -- it's a vibrant setting even if its just a bunch of menus. But it's the very small touches that give the illusion of life, animation and safety.

Interestingly enough, being a sim, Gran Turismo isn't about drifting hard, smashing into competitors, and getting the gold at all costs. It very much encourages polite, precise driving. With Bossa novas in the background, this makes excellent sense. There's no disconnect between the lovely overworld and the music and even the racing. Cars are beautiful, not meant to be trashed (there's even a car wash to make sure your vehicle is spick-and-span) and this touch of class makes Gran Turismo a delectable experience.

If I'd realized sooner that cars can be fancy instead of manly, I might have taken an interest much earlier in my life. Gran Turismo was probably hiding in plain sight, trying to tell me that for years, but the power of the PS5 really made the experience tantalizing. From 60FPS, to lightning-fast loading times and even the stunning graphics, GT7 is the perfect entry to get lost in the sauce. Since I barely have to wait between menu loads and even getting into races, my interest level stays high throughout every session. Whereas, if you told me I had to wait 20-30 seconds to get into a match, I'm not so sure I'd be ready to get invested in the world of sim racing. Yet here we are, the stars have aligned, and I cannot sing enough praise for the latest Gran Turismo.

There is such a thing as a perfect cup of coffee and not all brews are created equal. Small details like pairing coffee with car history and classical music with car shopping make GT7 an incredible title for the PS5 (and PS4 if you dare). Aesthetics are massively important when it comes to "stickiness" and GT7 is sticky like honey. My sessions are long and my attention to it unwavering. Mostly because GT7 feels like a safe haven.

No matter how busy or stressful a day I've had, I can load it up and be greeted with some chilled out jazz. I can take a nice drive. Earn some credits. Spend some money. All while taking in the sights and sounds of my little village dedicated to cars. The glow of the town at night is lovely, comforting, like everyone is gearing up for a good sleep. And in the morning the sun shines like its only job is to warm the soul. These are the exact reasons I loved The Sims so much. It was a place to go where good, fun, interesting things always happened. The ambiance was mellow. And the prospects were plentiful. GT7 brings that nostalgia back to the forefront and is a masterful, next-gen gaming experience.

#gran turismo 7

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recentanimenews · 3 years

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Sora Amamiya Sings The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon's Judgement OP Theme at THE FIRST TAKE

Following "PARADOX" (Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It OP theme) in the 132nd episode streamed two weeks ago, voice actress Sora Amamiya sings her 11th single song "Eien no Aria" in the latest 135th episode of THE FIRST TAKE. The dramatic tune was used as the OP theme for the second cour of the TV anime The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon's Judgement, the final arc of the TV anime adaptation series based on Nakaba Suzuki's fantasy manga The Seven Deadly Sins.

Amamiya has voiced the anime's main heroine Elizabeth Liones since its first season in 2014, and performed two ED theme songs for the TV anime series. As her first OP theme work for the anime, "Eien no Aria" was released on May 12, 2021, then ranked 12th in Oricon's weekly single charts.

For THE FIRST TAKE, a YouTube channel that captures an artist's one-take performances, she sings the song in her first acoustic arrangement with piano and 12 string guitar. She says on Twitter, "I'm glad I worked so hard each time.... That's how I feel."

"Eien no Aria" at THE FIRST TAKE:

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こんばんは???? 『THE FIRST TAKE』にて『永遠のAria』が公開されました…！あの時、あの時、頑張ってきて良かったなあ…。そんな気持ちです。そして『PARADOX』の再生数が200万を超えている…！？本当にありがとうございます????✨(雨宮)https://t.co/8mFuHUmrHy pic.twitter.com/jppHCGMVDA

— そらのはるやすみ (@sora_haruyasumi) July 14, 2021

"Eien no Aria" Music Video - YouTube EDIT ver. :

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Her performance video of "PARADOX" has already been viewed over two million times in two weeks.of

"PARADOX" at THE FIRST TAKE:

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"PARADOX" original music video short version:

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Source: TrySail official website

By: Mikikazu Komatsu

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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putrilaurant · 6 years

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【Shingeki no Kiseki manga report vol.3】 Linked Horizon Live Tour "Shingeki no Kiseki" manga report vol.3 ~All the feels~, first revealed in Shonen Magazine Edge January issue, is now available on Facebook as well! https://goo.gl/UoFoob #LinkedHorizon #AttackOnTitan 【進撃の軌跡マンガレポvol.3】「少年マガジンエッジ1月号」に掲載された鳥飼やすゆき先生による“LH Live Tour『進撃の軌跡』マンガレポvol.3～感無量編～”をコチラでも公開致します！是非ご覧ください！ http:// https://goo.gl/UoFoob #LinkedHorizon #shingeki *Here is the English translation of Manga report vol.3: ≪P1≫ I went to the Linked Horizon Live Tour 2017 “Shingeki no Kiseki” Manga report vol. 3 ~All the feels~ Manga: Yasuyuki Torikai Linked Horizon Live Tour 2017 “Shingeki no Kiseki” is a tour that features Linked Horizon’s newest album, Shingeki no Kiseki, with songs such as “Guren no Yumiya”, the opening theme to the anime Attack on Titan. The tour has a total of 34 performances, both domestic and international. Original merchandise are sold at various performance venues Announcer: Attention!! Starting now, we are commencing the sales of goods outside of the wall! Announcer: Dedicate your hearts! The start of sales is accompanied by a passionate announcement! (They also dedicate their hearts when you receive your purchased item) The stage is full of highlights!! Impactful footages from the anime and the actual stage performance come together in a perfect union! I was able to enjoy a unique experience regardless of where I was seated When I was on the second floor, I was taken aback by the detail in stage lightning… The stage effects aren’t the only amazing things about this live! More than 70 artists (including guest performers) have participated in this live, From rising stars to veterans! Winner of the gold record platinum award Performed the opening theme to Taiga drama NHK Kohaku Utagassen participant 15 days of concert at Nippon Budoukan Japan Record Award, Best Arranger Award I’ll introduce just a couple of them ≪P2-3 [right side half]≫ [Moshi kono kabe no naka ga ikken no ie datoshitara] Vocal: Mami Yanagi The song was featured in the single “Jiyuu e no Shingeki”, but it was nonetheless performed during the “Shingeki no Kiseki” tour. I could feel a deep stirring in my chest after hearing young boy’s resounding invitation to “freedom”, more powerful than in the last tour! [14 moji no dengon] Vocal: Eiko Matsumoto The song begins with a beautiful piano melody, wit- h great care in depicting the story of C- arla, Eren’s mother. One may liste- n to it from the perspective of a child, or that of a parent. I also thin- k that it’s a supporters’ song for the ver- y meaning of life, applicable t- o any one of us. Known as the mother’s song from Linked Horizon, it quickl- y found its way deep into the fans’ h- earts. You will definitely cry. Th- ank you for giving bi- rth to this song. [Saigo no Senka] Vocal: Tsukika A song about Ilse, a member of the Survey Corps before Eren’s generation. The lyrics describe what happened to her using a storm of clever rhymes! The song starts with a rush of adrenaline and then transitions into the scene where Ilse encounters a giant, And the entire hall was enthralled by the world shown to them. [Soyoku no Hikari] Vocal: MANAMI A song about Petra, who belonged to Levi’s team. Both her strong resolution as a soldier and her personal feelings are conveyed through this song. The multiple meanings of “light”, Along with the choreography of this performance Left me in awe of its beauty and tragedy. [Kanojo wa Tsumetai Hitsugi no Naka de] Vocal: Misaki Fukunaga A song depicting Annie until her sealing into the crystal. The song offers a unique interpretation for the thoughts running through her mind at that time, And the wavering emotions that were conveyed truly tugged at my heartstrings. The songstress, dancers and the anime footage all came together and did a great job at bringing the world of AoT to life. ≪P2-3 [left side half]≫ Guitar: Takeshi Nishiyama The bandmaster for this tour. His strong personality definitely showed in his performance of “Jiyuu no Daisho”, Where he ran up the stairs in the center of the stage. His blue guitar features the mark of Linked Horizon! Bass: Atsushi Hasegawa During this tour, he revealed the fabled song composed by Revo, titled “My heart’s on the right, whatchu gonna do ‘bout it?” His took the center stage with his solo during “Jiyuu no Tsubasa”, and it was totally badass! Guitar: YUKI He’s the one who played the bulk of the unison melodies in “Shingeki no Kiseki”. Apparently, his dive bombing during “Shinzo wo Sasageyo!” is meant to evoke the neighing of horses. Keyboards: Koji Igarashi He also played the melodica during “14 moji no dengon”! He unveiled his treasured solo arrangement of “Soyoku no Hikari” alongside Mr. Ittetsu. Drums: JUN-JI He really knocks it out of the park with his impressive drum performance! The teru teru bozu that hangs from his drum set is orange, his lucky color. Violin: Gen Ittetsu Leader of “Gen Ittetsu Strings” During the final performance, he and fellow 1st violinist Cameroun Maki pulled off an amazing performance where they both played on the same violin! Dancers: Yosuke Sato OBA Takeshi Matsumura Nobuhiro Shibuya Akane Takasuki Ayu Hosoki Minami Yajima They showed off a series of [AoT Dances] which broke all sorts of genre barriers! Vocal: Revo The commander of the Linked Horizon Corps. He’s responsible for all the lyrics and composition in Linked Horizon. The leader of Gensou Gakudan (Fantasy Band) Sound Horizon. His knowledge of Attack on Titan and his love for it are both exceptional! ≪P4-5 [right side half]≫ The MC featured various inside jokes local to the region In Hokkaido (Namahage mask) “Are naughty jaegars around?” In Kanazawa (Gold leaf sunglasses) “I can’t see.” As well as local mascots Anyways It’s a whirlwind of emotions! Feeling passionate -> crying -> laughing -> I’m a wall now -> crying again -> dedicating -> The encore not only featured Linked Horizon’s past songs, but also some of Sound Horizon’s classic songs! “Utsukushiki Mono” “Junai ♡Juuji Houka” The songstresses’ improvised dancing during [Seishun wa Hanabi no Youni] is simply adorable I was also constantly floored by the guest performers as well! Horn, brass, percussion, harp, woodwind, choir, and the narrator Sascha. It’s rare that I get to see so many live performances by the same artists who were responsible for bringing the music to life, and that experience truly moved me. Parts of this passionate performance can be viewed on the official site, so check it out! URL http://shingeki.linked-horizon.com/ An acoustic guitar was left on stage during the first song [Nikagetsugo no Kimi e] And after the last song’s performance, Commander Revo left behind his guitar in the same position before taking off He was a step ahead of us, departing for the next performance linked together like chains... ≪P4-5 [left side half]≫ Triumph of Linked Horizon Live Tour Shingeki no Kiseki All members assemble Triumph performances will be held on 2018 January 13th (Sat) and 14th (Sun) at the Yokohama Arena!! All members assemble! These triumph performances will feature all guest artists from past concerts, along with new guest songstresses! Linked Horizon 5th Year Anniversary What kind of horizon do you see before yourself!? Tickets on sale at Ticket Pia (http://t.pia.jp/)! LH ticket page http://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventBundleCd=b1765241 * Depending on when you access the site, the tickets may be sold out already. We ask for your understanding. Sc: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=383187242129659&id=185851211863264

#linked horizon #news #report #shingeki no kiseki

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attract-mode-collective · 5 years

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Review: Metal Gear In Concert

This past weekend, Metal Gear In Concert made its long awaited debut on US soil. And because the performance took place literally in my backyard, that being the Washington Heights portion of upper Manhattan, and also because I'm such a Metal Gear diehard… I was naturally there.

It was held at the United Palace, a non-profit cultural & performing arts center that's also a church (with the best god damn acoustics imaginable). Was my second time at the venue actually; the previous was for, funny enough, Kingdom Hearts Orchestra last summer. Anyhow, impressions of my Saturday night...

Let's start with the biggest positive first: the seventy musicians on stage did an absolutely wonderful job breathing life into various compositions hailing from the seven mainline Metal Gear Solid tiles (assuming you consider Ground Zeroes & Phantom Pain as separate entities). As for the arrangements themselves, I found some creative choices to be rather... curious... but the musicians performed the notes that they were given, and again, they were outstanding.

So onto the biggest negatives; there's two. First, the order in which the source material was presented. Whomever thought it would be best to present the games in chronological order. Meaning the first thing we hear is the opening to Snake Eater, and the last is the final piece from Guns of the Patriot. BTW, alongside the music is footage from the games, cinematics that have been edited to add context to the music.

Adhering to the narrative is something most diehard fans might prefer, but given how any casual members of the audience would have no idea what the hell is going on… which admittedly would have resolved if the aforementioned highlight reels were better produced… I believe an opportunity was lost as it pertains to highlighting the evolution of the series by not presenting the games in the order in which they were produced. Am mostly talking about how the music evolved here, but the same goes with the visuals.

Instead of using the occasion as a conversation starter among aficionados of orchestral music, to not just heighten awareness of Metal Gear but the medium of games as a whole, it was simply for the fans. Which is fair enough, though my second primary gripe is ultimately responsible for the first one and is purely via the lens of a fanboy: there was an overall lack of polish when compared to Kingdom Hearts Orchestra. Broad strokes-wise, it was the same deal; various songs were chosen from various games, accompanied by footage. In fact, both were produced by the same organization La Fée Sauvage, which specializes in producing licensed music concerts. They also do show based around Final Fantasy and… One Piece?

A key difference between the Kingdom Hearts and Metal Gear showcases is how the former simply had more to work with; there are simply more KH games than MG games. As the saying goes, less is more, so considering the reduced amount of material to breathe life into, every creative decision ends up taking on greater importance (and lends itself to increased scrutiny). At the same time, the length of time between MG installments is greater than KH's. There's also greater technological leaps, as well as gameplay advances, let alone gameplay variety. Hence why each Kingdom Hearts entry... while certainly unique... is more or less identical.

Not true with Metal Gear, and not to sound like a delusional fanboy, but whereas every entry may appear similar, below the surface they are wholly unique to each other. As well unlike any other game, to such a degree that they've helped to redefine the medium. A large part of the appeal of KH is the characters, and while I’m a fan of MG’s colorful cast, what makes Metal Gear… well, METAL GEAR… is the gameplay, the breaking of the fourth wall, etc. So with all that in mind, perhaps focusing a more tangible aspect like the narrative, was the only real option among the parties involved?

I believe the main reason for such a difference in approach and quality, despite both shows being produced by the same entity, is how other names were involved in the Kingdom Hearts affair. Specifically, Disney Concerts & Square Enix; me thinks that last name is the most important one, because Kingdom Hearts is such a valuable asset for SE. The previous concert took place right when production of KH3 was heading towards the finish line, so it was just another thing to keep the fanbase excited. Basically, Square Enix cared about their concert, because they had a serious investment in it, which was clearly on stage for all to see.

Meanwhile... and no need to state what every diehard fan of the franchise knows already, but... Konami cares very little about Metal Gear. It’s just another IP, just another source of revenue, not even one that’s coveted; Konami’s name being barely visible in any of the press releases I’ve received is yet another sign that they weren’t very invested, or interested, in the performance. And it goes without saying that the series creator was still involved, those sizzle reels would have been vastly superior.

Something else that needs to be pointed out: the turn out for the show was rather disappointing. It definitely was not a sellout. Not sure why… this past Saturday night’s performance was originally schedule for last October, so perhaps the change had an effect? I don’t think so… Perhaps the ever-increasing shittiness of this city’s mass transit had an impact? Again, maybe a little. Perhaps it was the cost of entry? A more likely factor… full disclosure: I attended for free, as a member of the press.

Ultimately, I fear the poor turn out simply speaks of the current state of the Metal Gear fanbase, which has deteriorated in recent years, something that Konami themselves is responsible for.

And… because this report is turning out longer than expected, I’m just going to go down my additional points, in semi-bullet pointed fashion:

- Alas, one couldn’t tell it was a high ticketed affair by looking at the majority of its attendees. Generally speaking, one usually will dress up… or dress nicely…. for an event of this type. But not for Metal Gear in Concert. Lots of t-shirts & jeans.

As for what they wore, I saw far less Metal Gear related attire than at the Kingdom Hearts shindig, which again was a sign of how lively the fanbase is. Translation: I recall lots of KH related merch, fairly recent stuff, whereas hardly anyone was wearing anything of note among the MG camp… saw two instances of shirts from that Uniqlo line about ten years ago, that was it.

- Speaking of merch, what they had for sale at Metal Gear In Concert was downright embarrassing. Attendees were clearly expecting to blow money, and had only two different shirts to choose from, both of which were subpar Redbubble-caliber. At the very least, I was expecting a commemorative design to mark the performance near the George Washington Bridge, but nope.

And speaking of the GW, when the opener from Metal Gear Solid 2 was highlighted, it predictably got one of the loudest reactions from the crowd (no joke, that bridge is legit a few blocks away from the United Palace).

- There were a few cosplayers in attendance, and sitting directly behind me was a dude dressed as Naked Snake, with his 5 year old son, dressed the same. Which was cute until it was clear that the kid had zero familiarity with dad's fave game; the kid was clearly bored and uncomfortable.

Once again, nerd parenting is often some of the worst parenting I've encountered, a topic of discussion that I have many strong opinions about, but now is perhaps not the time or place.

- The definitive highlight of the evening for me was witnessing Donna Burke perform Sins of the Father live, which again due to the order of the source material, was a super early into the proceedings crowd pleaser. Snake Eater was the first of two songs performed as the encore.

Hate to say it, but her take on Cynthia Harrell's signature song... while certainly respectable... further validates my previously alternate approach to the concert, meaning Snake Eater could have been an excellent means of warming up the crowd, and both Phantom Pain selections (the other being Heavens Divide) still closing the show.

... So yeah, that was Metal Gear In Concert. If you're a fan of the games and live music, it's definitely recommended. Even if it doesn't hit all the right marks and is ultimately a somewhat sad reflection of the enthusiasm for Big Boss, Solid Snake, and the rest of the game... or lack thereof.

Or maybe the turn out will be better for the next performance, taking place in Los Angeles ion April 6th at Wilshire Ebell Theatre? And if you go... while you don't have to... for God's sake wear a button up shirt at the very least, geeze.

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theseventhhex · 7 years

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Cigarettes After Sex Interview

Greg Gonzalez

Cigarettes After Sex is an ambient pop collective led by songwriter Greg Gonzalez and is currently based out of Brooklyn, NY. Formed in 2008, the group has been host to a number of different musical collaborators, working through a variety of sounds since its inception. Inspired by the sound of early '60s records influences and recorded in the same spontaneous spirit, the band has released a series of well-received, sultry and striking singles. Gonzalez’s affecting vocals and stellar arrangements are sure to garner further prevalent acclaim for the band, alongside an eagerly awaited record full of exceptional moments and recollections… We talk to Greg Gonzalez about his upbringing, digging into memories and Enya…

TSH: How key is the instinctual approach with regards to your songwriting?

Greg: I’d say it’s everything. After years and years of writing in basically every style you acquire this gut feeling about what to leave in and what to leave out. You’re guided by what interests you naturally and what you gravitate towards.

TSH: You’ve touched on going to memories and most of your songs being based on true stories from your life. What sort of expressions and instances have you been pulling from lately?

Greg: It’s been the same as far as referencing moments I’ve shared with someone. The main difference is that the songs end up being about long distance relationships and fleeting passionate moments rather than long love affairs lately.

TSH: Tell us more about where you grew up, giving you a rarer perspective on life…

Greg: I’d say I had a very positive upbringing... I grew up in El Paso, Texas and it’s a beautiful, spread out city with amazing sunsets and mountains in the middle. As a teenager I played video games and recorded the soundtracks I liked onto cassettes. I watched soft-core porn and knew who my favourite actresses were. I took LSD with friends and went camping at a lake nearby some weekends listening to the Truman Show soundtrack and the Doors. Also, I went swimming, watched movies and played guitar.

TSH: What makes you gravitate towards wanting to make a really good record about romance?

Greg: It’s the thing I feel most passionate about. The emotion that makes me want to live or die and there honestly aren’t many records I can think of that are purely about love. Something else always sneaks in and changes the subject throughout the course of an album. I want a record that goes as deep as possible in regards to love and doesn’t let go.

TSH: How would you characterise the mood of the upcoming record?

Greg: The record is basically a more complete version of what we started with on the first EP and the last singles. I wanted to make a full length work that harnessed those feelings.

TSH: ‘K’ is simply a stunning song. Talk us through how you went about layering the instrumentation for this track…

Greg: Thanks a lot. The song was recorded live during the same sessions most of the LP is taken from. It was in the middle of a cold December in Bushwick at the same rehearsal space we recorded ‘Affection’ and ‘Keep On Loving You’. Everything besides the final vocals, tambourine and acoustic guitars were recorded live at the session. It was the first time the band had heard the song and the second time we played it together.

TSH: In what ways does the track ‘Affection’ entail a sense of place to you?

Greg: It reminds more of when it was released now than when it was recorded. When it was released and started to gain attention it was around my birthday in September and a girl that I was falling for was visiting for the week. It kind of reminds me of sunset in Central Park because of that, but also of the film The Double Life of Veronique, which I was newly obsessed with at the time… It feels like a place in autumn for me definitely.

TSH: Can you tell us about some of the movie soundtracks you’ve been into lately…

Greg: Sure. I actually haven’t seen the film still, but I’m loving a few songs off of The Chariots of Fire soundtrack by Vangelis lately...“Eric’s Theme” & “Five Circles” specifically. His music is just so distinct and has such colourful tones… Also the Barry Lyndon soundtrack has some gorgeous stuff on it. The “Sarabande” themes by Handel & “Women of Ireland” solo harp version are pretty amazing. Of course Kubrick always picks great soundtracks.

TSH: You eloquently incorporated a guitar solo on your cover of ‘Keep on Loving You’ – are you looking to have more of these moments for upcoming material?

Greg: Thank you. There’s definitely quite a lot of guitar solo and guitar feature moments on the new album. It seems to just suit the songs well enough.

TSH: What does it feel like to dig in to a vivid memory and extract a song from it?

Greg: It feels like time traveling maybe. I can see the rooms I was in and start to recall the emotions I had. It’s a beautiful feeling to revisit these memories for me. I feel lucky to have had them whether they were good or bad.

TSH: Your music helps individuals through various tough times and gives people strength, hope and other emotions. How great is it to have this sort of connection?

Greg: It’s the greatest feeling on earth. So much music helped me through some deeply painful times and it’s very possible I wouldn’t be here today if I wouldn’t have had it to turn to. To hear that I’ve given that back to anyone makes me feel the highest sense of joy.

TSH: Does it feel more liberating when the lyrics are to somebody significant?

Greg: It always does. Especially now performing these songs live nightly my favourite moments singing are when I close my eyes during certain sections of a song and relive the moments I had with someone.

TSH: Do you remember much about the day you purchased Megadeth’s ‘Symphony of Destruction’?

Greg: Ha, not quite as much beyond that. I recall picking up that single as well as “Foreclosure of a Dream” that day though… I was and still am a huge Megadeth fan.

TSH: What sort of emotions and images comes to mind when you listen to the excellent ‘Caribbean Blue’ by Enya?

Greg: I call it my favourite song on certain days. I think of exotic landscapes or hidden faraway islands. It makes me think of the passage of time and the beauty of nature.

TSH: When you overlook a fantastic score like Final Fantasy VI by Nobuo Uematsu, what stands out most?

Greg: It’s yet another work that struck me with how imaginative it was. The beauty and purity of the melodies and also the strangeness of its presentation due to the limitations of the way it was created. I used to frequently put this album on when I couldn’t sleep and it would always help me. It brings a peace to my mind.

TSH: How is downtime commonly spent for you?

Greg: Usually catching up with friends or lovers over drinks… or sleeping and sleeping around.

TSH: What do you enjoy watching on TV in your spare time?

Greg: These days I feel like I spend most of my time watching interviews with directors on YouTube or film criticism like Every Frame a Painting or The Story of Film. And of course catching up on films I haven’t seen or revisiting favourites. It’s rare that I start a new series lately.

TSH: Heading forward with your music, what are the key aspects that you hope to maintain and stay true to?

Greg: I hope to stay sincere, grateful and wildly passionate.

Cigarettes After Sex - “K.”

K. - SINGLE

#Interview #Cigarettes After Sex #greg gonzalez

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authorelizabethhunter · 7 years

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So, I’ve been pretty awful about updating the blog lately, and I apologize for that. Personal life has been a bit crazy (but good!) and I get overwhelmed, so I’ll try to give you a roundup of stuff I’m reading, stuff I’m listening to, stuff I’m writing, and stuff I’ll be working on next.

SPOILER ALERT: I re-released A Very Proper Monster, the Elemental World novella set in 19th century Dublin with Tom and Josie from A Scarlet Deep. It has a new cover and a brand new short story included, so if you’re just here for new stuff, scroll on down to the end for links, but I really hope you read the whole post. :)

In general, if you’re worried you’re missing something, the best way to stay in touch is to either get my newsletter (sent out once a month with free fiction goodies), like my Facebook page, or follow me on Instagram. I’m going to try to be better about blogging, but I make no guarantees because I’m an honest girl who knows her limitations. Between family, work, traveling to the other side of the world to visit my significant other, and eating/sleeping, the blog does fall further down on the list of priorities lately. So, you’ve been warned. (And appreciated. I really do appreciate those of you who are still reading.)

SO what have I been reading? A few things. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, but these are things pulled me out and woke me up.

First off, for lovers of true Urban Fantasy, I’m going to recommend Amy Cissell’s The Cardinal Gate, which was a kickass ride set in Portland, OR that delves into fae mythology. Full disclosure: Amy and I are friends, and I think she’s super talented, and this book is great. Funny and fast and thrilling. It’s her debut, and I think readers of mine who love Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, and the like would really enjoy it. Lots of action and humor. I really well-drawn heroine who I’m eager to revisit. This is the start of a series and I’m definitely looking forward to the rest.

Dating-ish by Penny Reid is contemporary romantic comedy that is hilarious and HUGELY relatable for anyone who has dated in the last few years, and informative for those of you who are still trying to figure out what Tinder is and why your single friends give you THAT LOOK when you ask them, “Haven’t you tried dating online?” More than that, it’s another well-drawn female protagonist in the Knitting in the City series which will go down as one of the most compelling and well-drawn (and hilarious) groups of friends in fiction history. I know the covers are geared toward female readers, but I think this series would be really enjoyable for my male readers, too.

Short story fans like me understand how complex and difficult the form is to write, but how satisfying a well-written short story is when it’s done right. And Ken Liu does it RIGHT. The Paper Menagerie is on my Recommended Reads page for good reason. I’m picking my way through this collection the way you pick through a really good box of chocolates. You don’t want to devour them all at once. You want to sit and read when you have a half hour or so, finish a story, then ruminate on it a while. If you’re a fantasy/scifi fan struggling with short attention span lately, this book is the book for you.

So that’s what I’ve been reading lately, but what have I been listening to?

Okay, sometimes you just need mellow singer/songwriter chicks to listen to, and Joy Williams Venus (Acoustic) album is well worth the download. I’m not very familiar with her music, but I saw this video on YouTube:

And I sought out her music. I love her voice and the Venus Acoustic album is a deep, easy breath at the end of the day, which I need right now.

Can we talk about how my son keeps stealing my Duke Ellington & John Coltrane album? Seriously, some days I really do feel like I’m raising a senior citizen. He wears fedoras, too. I’m recommending this album on vinyl for those of you who like the ritual of records, but it’s available in digital format too. It’s hard to express how much I love this one. I’m not even a huge jazz fan, but there’s something about this record.

I just finished listening to all seven episodes of the S-Town podcast and I’m still processing. All I know for sure is that it’s good. It elevates the podcast format. It’s genre-defying. I don’t want to tell you too much, because I went into it with very little knowledge of what it was supposed to be, and I kind of feel like everyone should experience it that way. Here’s the trailer:

So that’s what I’m listening to lately. What have I been doing?

Oh, just re-releasing A Very Proper Monster with a new Tom and Josie story (!!!), and updating the covers for the Elemental World novellas!

And… they’re weird. But I love them. This is what I wrote on my Facebook page:

It’s a different look that started when I was designing the Monster cover for re-release. It’s a gothic romance, so I wanted the cover to reference those gorgeous old gold foil covers in Victorian printing. What I came up with was this:

➜Amazon (Kindle): http://amzn.to/2nxvyP5 ➜Amazon (Paperback): http://amzn.to/2ol6NFL ➜Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2niCpdo

(I’ll update with other retailer links once they go live)

This is the part where I say BUY MY BOOK!

(If you don’t already have it from Beneath a Waning Moon, that is. It’s the same story, just with bonus material and a new cover.)

So I designed this cover, and I just couldn’t stop looking at it. I loved it. But it was SO different. And I knew I’d been needing to update the covers on Waterlocked and The Bronze Blade, too, because they really didn’t fit with the other books in the series. In fact, the novellas themselves were kind of out there. So I’m taking a chance! They could bomb horribly. I don’t know. But I’m giving them a chance and I hope you guys enjoy them.

Here’s the synopsis for the new edition of Monster:

In Victorian-era Dublin, Josephine Shaw spends long nights filling the pages of her Gothic stories with the fantastic and the macabre, unaware that the suitor her father has arranged is one of the dark creatures she’s always dreamed. For Tom Dargin, courting an ailing spinster was only one duty in a long life of service to his sire. But after he meets the curious Miss Shaw, will Tom become the seducer or the seduced? Can a love fated to end in tragedy survive a looming grave?

A VERY PROPER MONSTER is an Elemental World historical novella originally published in the Beneath a Waning Moon gothic duology. This special stand-alone edition contains a bonus short story, Night in the Waking City.

Tom and Josie travel to New York City to meet with allies and publishers, but a chance encounter sends Josie into a rage, leaving Tom to look for unexpected allies in the city that never sleeps. Can a young human and an ancient vampire find his ailing mate before Josie does something she’ll regret?

And what am I working on RIGHT NOW?

As you may or may not be able to tell, I’m working on the next Irin Chronicles book. What is it called? THE SILENT. Whose book is it? Leo and Kyra’s. (FINALLY! you say. I know, I know…) And where is it set? THAILAND.

Thailand?

Yes, Thailand. (It’s so delicious…)

And here, my friends, is a little teaser for you from what I just wrote the other day. I’m about a third of the way into the manuscript and I’m aiming toward a Summer 2017 release, hopefully in July.

“Do you like books?” Kyra asked.

“I do. I like audiobooks especially. When I’m training or driving, I often listen to them.” He craned his neck and saw the stack of books by her bed. “I see you are a reader.”

“Yes.” He hadn’t asked, but she decided to offer some information anyway. “For most of my life—before I learned to block my mind—books were my best friends. I could listen to them and only hear what they wanted to tell me, not another voice behind it.”

Leo’s arm around her tightened, and she wondered if there was something he didn’t like about the story. Perhaps she shouldn’t have offered so much information when he hadn’t asked.

“Yes, I like books,” she said quietly.

“I’m glad you had them,” Leo said. “Tell me something else.”

“Like what?”

BE WELL! I’ll try not to wait two months before blogging again.

Wishing you love and inspiration today.

Elizabeth

Still not dead. Work work work. So, I've been pretty awful about updating the blog lately, and I apologize for that. Personal life has been a bit crazy (but good!) and I get overwhelmed, so I'll try to give you a roundup of stuff I'm reading, stuff I'm listening to, stuff I'm writing, and stuff I'll be working on next.

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dawntrailing · 1 year

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#the final day #atsuki yoshida #final fantasy xiv #final fantasy series #final fantasy series acoustic arrangements #ffxiv: music #queue.

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ricardosousalemos · 7 years

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Jim O’Rourke: Bad Timing

In the early 1990s, years before he joined Sonic Youth or partnered with Wilco or tried his hand at singing, Jim O’Rourke was a kind of prodigy in the experimental music underground. He recorded albums in his early twenties for labels like Sound of Pig, Amsterdam’s Staalplaat, and John Zorn’s Tzadik. He made music with whatever was at hand and was proficient on many instruments, and he often performed in the context of free improvisation. But O’Rourke’s first instrument was guitar, and one of his deepest musical loves was the art of arrangement—the precise placement of this note in this pocket of space, the choice of this instrument for that note. The two obsessions met in glorious fashion on his 1997 album Bad Timing.

In the 21st century, we take music built around steel-string guitar for granted. New practitioners have emerged (William Tyler, James Blackshaw, Ben Chasny), a latter-day legend has come and gone (Jack Rose, R.I.P.), and an endless series of reissues of albums by major figures stream by (hello, Bert Jansch). But 20 years ago, the notion of solo acoustic guitar as a medium for expression of album-length ideas was only just emerging from hibernation. Some of its resurgence during that period could be traced to the work of critic Byron Coley, who had written an article in SPIN in 1994, in which he’d tracked down the then-obscure John Fahey in Oregon. Fahey had barely recorded in the few years previous, and was living off the grid and on the edge of poverty, occasionally sleeping in homeless shelters. That SPIN piece, along with the Rhino compilation Return of the Repressed, which put his out-of-print music back in stores, cemented the guitarist’s status as an icon of American music. Neither he, nor his instrument, have left the conversation since.

In North America, the acoustic guitar is often associated with “folk” music of a certain mood; from 1970s singer-songwriters to the ’80s emergence of new age and then onto the rise of “unplugged” music in the ’90s, the acoustic became associated with relaxation, intimacy, quiet contemplation—a sound ostensibly more closely connected to the natural world than its electric counterpart. But Fahey’s vision for acoustic guitar was something else entirely. He was among the first to fully grasp that the the instrument had uniquely expressive qualities, that its possibilities as a device for melody, harmony, and rhythm were untapped, and alternate tunings gave it further flexibility other instruments couldn’t match. In Fahey’s hands, the guitar became an orchestra in miniature, and long, multi-part pieces with the thunderous sweep of a symphony could sit alongside rustic evocations of the past. Fahey’s guitar became a tool for collapsing time and space, able to incorporate the grand sweep of music history in a flurry of strummed chords, fingerpicked melodies, and raga-like repeating rhythms.

Fahey’s mid-’90s resurgence served as a backdrop for Bad Timing, and the connection colored how it was received at the time. The Fahey connect was further underscored by O’Rourke’s earlier work in Gastr del Sol, his post-rock duo with David Grubbs (they covered Fahey on their 1996 album Upgrade & Afterlife.) But while Bad Timing has deep spiritual connections to Fahey’s work, the actual music comes from a very different place. You could almost think of Bad Timing as as a record that’s trying to be a Fahey album but keeps getting derailed and ends up going somewhere even more interesting. It was originally written to be a solo guitar record, and O’Rourke has performed versions of the pieces in that setting, but as he worked on the music, he decided he wanted to take it into another direction, one that would incorporate his obsession with carefully arranged sound.

Expanding Bad Timing allowed O’Rourke to paint on a much larger canvas. “For me both Happy Days and Bad Timing were about my myths,” O'Rourke explained to writer Mike McGonigal in a 1997 interview in the zine Music. “A big part of my head is Americana. But the Americana I know comes from listening to Van Dyke Parks, John Fahey, and Charles Ives. That doesn’t exist, and I have to face the fact that it doesn't exist. I have to address that it’s nothing but a construct.” O’Rourke has always wrestled with the “Why?” part of record-making. He’s an avid and thoughtful listener and has absorbed a mountain of music, so with each project, he considers exactly why he should be adding to the pile. Bad Timing may be an homage to some of his heroes, but he takes their collective influence and bends it into a peculiar shape, a tangle of deep reverence and exuberant skepticism. It’s a fantasy that is aware of itself as fantasy, a self-conscious evocation of an individual artist’s obsessions that also functions as a neat historical snapshot.

Parks’ lush arrangements and his gentle irony; Fahey’s vast scope; Ives’ clash of folk simplicity and avant-garde dissonance—these elements are all over Bad Timing, and minimalism is the final piece of the puzzle. Though it draws heavily from the music of other cultures, particularly India, minimalism as a compositional technique is closely identified with American icons, in particular the work of Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and LaMonte Young. Glass, Reich, and Riley are best known for repetition—they build meaning through gradually shifting clusters of sound. Young’s music has alternated between repetition and carefully tuned and deeply physical drone. Two other composers, Phill Niblock and Tony Conrad, both of whom O’Rourke work with, further extended Young’s drone conceptions. For this group, held tones become a form of change; from moment to moment in a drone piece, you expect shifts and development to happen, and when they don’t, you’re constantly re-discovering where you are in the now.

Bad Timing has this mercurial quality. It flows beautifully and is easy for a newcomer to enjoy, but it’s also a series of head-fakes, regular juxtapositions that jar the music off course as it moves from one mode to the next. The opening “There’s Hell in Hello But More in Goodbye” starts off almost as a carbon-copy of Fahey in his most whimsical mode, with a sunny finger-picked melody that one could imagine a turn-of-the-century farmer whistling as he strolled across a field. But after a few bars, it drops into a single repeating pattern played on just a small handful of notes, like a needle slipping into a skipping groove, and it stays there, as a lone chord is examined, poked at, and wrung dry. Other subtle instruments fold in—organ, piano—and as “Hello” unfurls it becomes a pure drone piece, quieter and prettier but not so far from the Niblock-inspired hurdy-gurdy blast that defined O’Rourke’s previous album, Happy Days. What started as “folk” ends as a kind of raga meditation.

This kind of shell game happens throughout Bad Timing, as the individual pieces convince you they’re one thing while they’re in the process of becoming something else. “94 the Long Way” opens with a tentative, lurching fingerpicked section, hinting at possible songs behind it, but not quite committing, until finally a pattern emerges that mixes a lurching bass-string loop, repetition in the middle register, and a simple descending three-note melody that becomes the center around which the rest of the track orbits. It at first sounds too simple, like it’s barely even a melody, but O’Rourke adds cheery keyboards, gorgeous pedal steel guitar, and trombone, and it starts to feel like a John Philip Sousa march—you think of fireworks and parades and kazoos and guys in funny hats and rolling expanses of land stretching to the horizon.

The construction of the piece is impressive as new instruments are added every few bars and they all lock into place. But there’s also something joyously silly about it all, a cartoon of civic engagement. The bumptious cheeriness evokes children performing an exaggerated “whistle while you work” march, pounding forward in service of some high-minded collective ideal. The hint of camp extends further. I’ve always taken the “94” in the title to be a reference to I-94, the interstate highway that runs through Chicago. If you’re in the Midwest and you want to take a road trip, you’re almost certainly going to find yourself in I-94 at some point. O’Rourke’s song can be heard as an ode to the freeway, his acoustic Americana version of Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn”—indeed, the structure of the two songs is similar, and the snaking pedal steel is evocative of the gliding guitar in the Kraftwerk tune. It’s a soundtrack for looking out the window as you roll through the farmland of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

“Americana” is an inexhaustible descriptor entirely dependent on perspective. American music, after all, is by its nature fractured, a bottomless well of influences that zig-zag around the country and then around the world. Hyper-local folk forms are “discovered” and stolen from and then sold back in a gnarled form by professionals from far away. Aaron Copland, composer of “Fanfare for the Common Man,” was a gay, cosmopolitan Jew with communist sympathies, and he created work steeped in American myths, dreaming up places where he might not be entirely comfortable (or welcome) if he were to actually visit them. O’Rourke’s musical fantasy is steeped in the past but also feels ripe with the possibility of the present moment; it’s of history but it sits outside of it.

The second side of Bad Timing is essentially a single 20-minute piece split into two sections that grows steadily stranger while playing with ideas of nostalgia and memory. O’Rourke presents ancient notions of “American music” and then toys with them. The title track opens with another playful folk guitar figure before losing itself in haze of keyboard melody. For minutes on end, the song seesaws between two slowly plucked chords as hints of accordion nudge the tune along. You keep listening for changes, and you think you might hear something shifting, but you’re also happy to get lost in the repetition, the simple twinkling beauty and building tension of the arrangement.

And then it explodes: a huge distorted power chord launches us into “Happy Trails,” the final piece. Suddenly we’re in the middle of a psychedelic rock record, and it’s like a light switch thrown on, or explosive laughter that sucks the discomfort out of a room. After the lengthy fallout from that blast, there’s another extended fingerpicked acoustic passage, and then the song is overwhelmed with a crashing marching band fanfare (a possible nod to Charles Ives’ Symphony No. 4, where a brooding string passage is interrupted by blasts of horns that sound borrowed from another piece). Adding further contrast, pedal steel guitarist Ken Champion, whose impossibly beautiful swells of sound add so much poignancy to “94 the Long Way,” returns with a downright loopy solo fit for the Country Bear Jamboree. Then the song sunsets in a golden-purple haze of muted horns, returning to uncanny beauty one final time.

This seesaw between mischievous subversion and slack-jawed beauty is the key to O’Rourke’s best music. His sense of humor is both generous and slightly dark; there’s irony in his touch, but it’s not a negating one. It’s more about being open to hearing every possibility in a given piece of music. In a 2001 interview O’Rourke was asked if Bad Timing had an element of parody. “Not a parody at all, or infatuation, it’s more like trying to reconcile what is imagined, learned, real, and imaginary.” And then he added, “Is it really that impossible to believe that something can be funny and sincere at the same time?”

Bad Timing, and O’Rourke’s solo career that followed, is a convincing argument for creation in the face of self-consciousness. The “Why?” of music-making is under-explored. Does your individual record need to exist? For O’Rourke, and especially for his solo albums on Drag City, he justifies their release by lavishing care on every detail, and embracing the music of the past in all its complexity. O’Rourke has always been very careful about how his music is packaged and presented. He only allowed it to be released digitally in the last couple of years, and the downloads on Drag City’s newly created Bandcamp pages urge the listener to “please download the best possible quality.” He’s fighting against his music being reduced, whether that means shrinking the artwork, compressing the digital files, or removing individual tracks from the context of the whole. He’s asking for a lot from the listener, but giving even more in return. Bad Timing was where so many of these ideas came together for the first time, a glorious imaginary world that becomes real every time it plays.

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